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Recent interest in antibiotics as a potential treatment for MS have brought this class of therapeutics into our sphere of interest. A new study shows that acne sufferers, a group that often uses long-term antibiotics of the tetracycline family have an elevated risk for developing upper respiratory tract infections.

More specifically, for patients using topical or internal antibiotics for longer than six weeks, the risk for an infection was two times higher than for non-antibiotic controls. This is relevant for MS'ers using antibiotics as it shows the potential risks of long-term use of the drugs, particularly with respect to giving rise to antibiotic-resistant strains whose activity is theorized to pave the way for other opportunistic viral infections, such as influenza.

This was my reply:

Right, and how many upper respiratory tract infections have I had since starting antibiotics over two years ago? One cold which lasted all of three days.

The reason for taking two abx which work in synergy with each other is to avoid the developing of resistance - these treatments were developed by microbiologists who know about these things. Setting abx-resistant strains loose on the world is the last thing they would want.

Sarah (and no, I have never had a 'flu jab.)

An Itinerary in Light and Shadow Completed Dr Charles Stratton / Dr David Wheldon abx regime for aggressive secondary progressive MS in June 2007, after four years. Still improving with no relapses since starting. Can't run but can paint all day.

Hi, everyone - My neurologist commented this week, after I told him I will do the antibiotic regimen 'with or without you, if I have to drag you kicking and screaming through it with me'...... "But you may need antibiotics one day for an infection."

My response was, "THIS is the infection of my life, don't you get it?" I mean, really, what am I saving the use of antibiotics for if it isn't THIS? I want to be able to dance in ten years and run up and down stairs! I'll take my chances on long-term effects of antibiotics; as a matter of fact, I'm COUNTING on long-term effects of antibiotics!
MacKintosh

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